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KOREA COMBAT TRAINING CENTER, Korea - Senior U.S. and Republic of Korea Army trained together June 22 at the Korea Combat Training Center in Gwangwon In-Je.

"Thank you for hosting us today, I know we will learn a lot from this tour. Soon we will celebrate the 59th anniversary of our strong alliance," said Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Winzenried, the senior enlisted leader of Command Forces Command, U.S. Forces Korea and Eighth U.S. Army, as he greeted the Republic of Korea Army Soldiers assigned to the KCTC. "I will seek more opportunities to train together."

The KCTC was established April 2002 to manage KCTC battalion-level training, develop concepts, construct systems of brigade-level training and support combat experiments related to the Republic of Korea Army reorganization. The program is currently under development to expand from the brigade to the division level.

Training at the KCTC is scenario driven and heavily monitored in a control room where instructors are able to watch real-time combat situations unfold. The status and location of casualties can be determined by sensors attached to each Soldier's uniform.

In this battlefield scenario, U.S. and ROK sergeants major fought north Korean soldiers who were played Soldiers assigned to the KCTC.

"I got shot!" said Command Sgt. Maj. Kieth Fointo of the 16th Medical Logistics Battalion. "It was a great to experience the battlefield with the ROK sergeant majors. We had great teamwork, and I think we should bring our troops here for several days of joint training."
During the training, the American and Korean senior enlisted leaders demonstrated the resolve of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, from the newest private to most seasoned Soldier in the ranks.

"I appreciate the U.S. support. It has made Korea what is today," said Brig. Gen. Kim Bong-won, Commanding General of KCTC. "We are certain that our relationships will continue to strengthen through our alliance. Let's go together!"